# US 10,309,019 B2 · Corrosion protection methods for the protection of the national infrastructure of copper/iron, copper, lead/iron potable water distribution systems and the national iron-based infrastructure

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- Number: US 10,309,019 B2
- Document ID: US10309019B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/045,929
- Filed: 2018-07-26
- Published: 2019-02-07
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-01
- Applicants: Frank Seth Gaunce
- Inventors: Frank Seth Gaunce
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309019B2

## CPC

- C23F 15/00: Other methods of preventing corrosion or incrustation
- C23F 13/14: Material for sacrificial anodes
- E03B 1/04: for domestic or like local supply
- H02G 9/00: Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water
- C23F 2213/32: Pipes
- H02G 3/08: Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25
- E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D)
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES

## Abstract

The methods and systems of lower the grounding potential of an AC electrical grid for protecting a potable water delivery systems from corrosion due to a chemical redox reaction between protective concentration of disinfection chemicals in water and iron, lead and/or copper metal pipes within the potable water delivery system. The methods protect the surface of interactive metals more noble than zinc. These methods are also effective in corrosion protection of the national metallic infrastructure of metals more noble than zinc, such as street signs, lights stands, bridges, and any systems connected to the electrical grid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated AC electrical supply and potable water distribution system comprising:
potable water pipelines within a building structure and including at least one of copper pipelines, lead pipelines, iron pipelines, and combinations thereof, and wherein the potable water pipelines include portions thereof that are free of iron mainlines;
potable water flowing through the potable water pipelines, the potable water including residual levels of one or more disinfecting chemical therein;
an AC electrical supply connected to the building structure having the potable water pipelines, wherein said AC electrical supply includes a copper grounding electrode, and a portion of the AC electrical supply copper grounding electrode conductively connected to at least a portion of the potable water pipelines; and
an additional grounding electrode of a different material than the copper grounding electrode connected to the copper grounding electrode of the AC electrical supply,
a ground voltage of the AC electrical supply of −1.2 volts or below as referenced to a standard copper electrode; and
wherein no external electrical current is generated between the grounding electrodes and the potable water pipelines and wherein the ground voltage of −1.2 volts or below protects inner surfaces of the potable water pipelines from corrosion by a redox-reaction of the one or more disinfecting chemicals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the additional grounding electrode is a grounded zinc alloy electrode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the potable water distribution system includes plastic mainlines and the potable water pipelines are electrically isolated through connections to the plastic mainlines.